According to NIGC, Hassan Montazer Tarbati stated that the item’s production capacity would reach 800 tons per year by the early months of the next calendar year, beginning on March 21.

"90 barrels of 150 barrels in the first stage of the mercaptan production were sent to three gas companies in Khorasan Razavi, Bushehr and Khuzestan provinces this week. According to the plans, by early next year, the production capacity of this vital item will reach 800 tons annually,” the official said.

Mercaptan is also known as methanethiol and is a harmless but pungent-smelling gas which has been described as having the stench of rotting cabbages or smelly socks.

It is often added to natural gas, which is colourless and odourless, to make it easier to detect.

He added: "In recent years, the National Iranian Gas Company has taken major steps towards domestic production of this essential substance, due to the limitations facing foreign suppliers of the item.”

The Iran Gas Engineering and Development Company has invested Rls. 1,500 billion for developing a mercaptan production unit with 800 tons/y of production capacity.

Iran, along with France, Russia, and the United States, is now a producer of the item.